”“And which was which? Before?”Lyudmila said, “I was the first. First wife gets the first fruits and the ripest. You can figure out the rest.�...�Marina laughed, "Yes, each of us would meet the other at the door and keep watch while the lucky one went to change back. Then Lyudmila'd pull her aside to get the latest news."“When did you decide this?”“We discussed it for the longest time. We made final arrangements a week ago.”Nadezhda laughed, “You’ve been engaged for a week and didn’t even know. His cruelty. His manipulations. He’d always been dominate. It had always been our relationship. But, when it suited him, it became much more real. He exploited me, all my weaknesses and my strengths. Because I always did have all the business savvy in my company. He’d be the one to schmooze, and I’d be the one who put things in place.“He flaunted my weakness, made my children disrespect me because of it. I saw them embrace the cruelty and the power it represented. Even my daughter. It tested a. They seemed a friendly crowd. At one point, late in the evening, Phil cut in when I was dancing with Beth. A couple of other men came and engaged me in conversation. When during our chat I mentioned a keen interest in computers, they said I should go and have a look at the hosts set up in the library. I protested that he wouldn't want anyone messing with his PC when one of the men, Ted, shouted over to an older, very distinguished looking man. 'Hey Bob! Can we go look at your. I was so mesmerised by Cathy that I caught the flash in her eyes of something I’d never seen there before, a consciousness of herself and her effect on others. I must admit a whole new respect dawned in me for my gorgeous friend in that moment. It's not that she didn't have the pretty-girl tools, she just actively chose not to use them. She was now though. I could clearly see that this moment was carefully orchestrated for maximum effect. Cath stayed there, allowing the attention to wash over.